The invention described hereinafter is directed to the field of detonation cycle gas turbines and to the methods and apparatus constituting said turbine system.
In the field of gas turbines and piston engines, there are different methods and apparatus which are utilized to convert the kinetic and thermal energy of gas reactions in combustion chambers to extract useful work. The design of the combustion chambers, the expanders, the type of fuel, the fuel-air ratio, the pressure of the fuel-air mixture prior to ignition, and the type of ignition, all determine the rate of oxidation. The rate of oxidation determines and defines whether the fuel and the oxidizer produce a constant propagating flame, a deflagrating explosion and accelerated flame front, or a detonation and high velocity shock waves. In either case, the oxidizer must be activated or raised to a higher energy level by some means to initiate the oxidation reaction. The manner of the activation will vary the rate of the reaction and produce the variation in result from a flame, to a deflagrating explosion, to a detonation.
The methods and apparatus utilized in an Otto cycle spark ignition gasoline piston engines are variable volume--constant pressure--combustion chambers, that induce and compress air and fuel mixtures to 6 or more atmospheres reducing the atmospheric ignition temperature from 1,000 degree F to 500 degree F, then ignite the mixture with an electric spark producing low power photolytic and radiolytic radiation, typically 80 millijoules, that activates and disassociates oxygen and hydrocarbon molecules in the immediate proximity of the electric spark, resulting in a deflagrating explosion with an accelerated flame front. The thermal energy of the flame front propagates throughout the mixture, thermally activating and chemically combining remaining reactants in a "chain burn" with typical mean pressures of 90 pounds per square inch gauge over a time period of 8 to 16 milliseconds while expanding the pistons down the chambers. The methods and apparatus utilized in Otto cycle engines are not useable with Diesel cycle engines, Brayton cycle or Detonation cycle turbines. Otto cycle engines in the 200 horsepower range typically utilize 9 pounds of air and 0.6 pounds of fuel per horsepower hour while producing 9.6 pounds of exhaust gas per horsepower hour.
The methods and apparatus utilized in Diesel cycle compression ignition diesel fuel piston engines are variable volume--constant pressure--combustion chambers, that induce and compress air to 15 or more atmospheres, and injects compressed fuel in the top of the chamber at the top of the compression stroke. Molecules of oxygen and hydrocarbons disassociate when compressed against the hot head of the combustion chambers resulting in free radicals that chemically combine exothermally in a deflagrating explosion with an accelerated flame front. The thermal energy of the flame front probagates throughout the mixture, thermally activating and chemically combining remaining reactants in a "chain burn" with mean pressures typically in excess of 90 pounds per square inch gauge over a time period of 12 to 24 milliseconds while expanding the pistons down the chambers. The methods and apparatus utilized in in Diesel cycle engines, are not useable with Otto cycle engines, Brayton cycle or Detonation cycle turbines. Diesel cycle piston engines in the 200 horsepower range typically utilize 11 pounds of air and 0.55 pounds of fuel per horsepower hour while producing 11.55 pounds of exhaust gas per horsepower hour.
The methods and apparatus utilized in Brayton cycle compression ignition turbine fuel gas turbines are constant volume--constant flow--constant pressure combustion chambers; a compressor that compresses air from 3 to 6 atmospheres; a pump that compresses fuel up to 40 atmospheres; and an axial flow or radial inflow turbine expander. Compressed air is fed into the combustion chamber and combined with the hot compressed fuel. An Infrared glow plug is often utilized to increase the thermal activation of the oxygen and hydrocarbon molecules, at the surface of the plug, to bring the mixture to the ignition temperature. Ignition occurs as a very low pressure deflagrating explosion with a constant pressure flame front. The thermal energy produced by the flame front radiates thermal waves with sufficient energy to continuously ignite the constant flowing high pressure fuel-air mixture and expand the surplus air in the burn plennum to drive the turbine while maintaining a constant pressure. Maintaining constant pressure is critical. Variation of pressures in the combustion chambers will cause flame out. Over pressure in the plennum will stall the compressor. The methods and apparatus utilized in a Brayton cycle turbine are not useable with Otto cycle or Diesel cycle engines, nor Detonation cycle turbines. Brayton cycle gas turbines In the 200 horsepower range, operated in an open cycle configuration at sea level, typically utilize 40 pounds of air and 1.2 pounds of fuel per horsepower hour, while producing 41.2 pounds of exhaust gas per horsepower hour.